Changing bile acids to help diabetes, fatty liver, and weight problems
Official title: Targeting bile acid composition to treat metabolic diseases
Funded at Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope · NIH-11252541 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing medicines that shift bile acid balance in the liver to help adults with type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, or obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project start | January 19, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $665,898 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK138665-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11252541 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21+) with obesity, type 2 diabetes, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / NASH would be the likely candidates for future trials of these therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Children, people without metabolic or liver disease, or those with liver conditions unrelated to NAFLD may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project aims to make new medicines that change the mix of bile acids in the liver by blocking an enzyme called CYP8B1. Researchers will create a high-throughput screening test to find compounds that specifically block CYP8B1 and will test promising compounds in cells and animal models while comparing findings to human data. If compounds look safe and effective in preclinical tests, they could advance toward safety studies and clinical trials in adults with obesity, type 2 diabetes, or NAFLD/NASH. The overall goal is to develop safer, longer-lasting treatments for weight, blood sugar, and liver fat problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to a new class of drugs that reduce weight, improve liver health, and improve blood sugar control with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Genetic and animal studies show that reducing CYP8B1 activity improves metabolism, but specific CYP8B1-blocking drugs are novel and have not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
Duarte, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Wendong — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Huang, Wendong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Postnatal and Prenatal Base Editing Therapies for Metabolic Diseases
This grant aims to advance genetic medicine that could one day treat metabolic diseases before or after birth using precise genome editing techniques.
-
Postnatal and Prenatal Base Editing for Metabolic Diseases
A large NIH grant is funding research to develop gene-editing methods that could treat metabolic diseases before and after birth.
-
GLP-1 producing engineered probiotics to help manage metabolic diseases
A research project aims to create probiotic bacteria that constantly deliver GLP-1 to help people with type 2 diabetes and obesity manage their condition.
-
Precise gene editing before or after birth for metabolic diseases
This project develops precise gene-editing treatments given before birth or soon after to correct genetic metabolic conditions in children.
-
How a specific bacterium affects fat and metabolism
This study is looking at a new type of bacteria called Clostridium immunis to see how it might help manage body fat and improve conditions like type 2 diabetes, which could lead to new treatment options for people dealing with these metabolic issues.
-
Understanding the links between heart, kidney, and metabolic diseases
This study is looking at how obesity and diabetes can lead to heart and kidney problems, especially for people in Mississippi, and it aims to find new ways to help improve health for those dealing with these issues.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.